Aug 06, 2013
Virginia has had 100 dolphin carcasses on its shores this year. Twenty-five dead or dying bottlenose dolphins have washed up on New Jersey shores since July 9, while Maryland and Delaware have seen several dead dolphins on its shores this summer. And in July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries declared an Unusual Mortality Event for bottlenose dolphins in Florida's Indian River Lagoon, where 50 dead dolphins have been found, a number three times the historical average.
"It is alarming since it's much higher than normal and in such a short amount of time," the Baltimore Sun quotes Jennifer Dittmar, the stranding coordinator for the National Aquarium in Baltimore as saying. "As far as an overall effect it's having on the population, it's hard to tell right now."
Scientists aren't sure what's causing the deaths at this point, though Susan Barco, research coordinator for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, said the strandings are "eerily familiar" to mass die-off of dolphins in 1987 when the measles-like morbillivirus brought 750 dolphin carcases to shores between New Jersey and Florida.
One expert says the die-off may be issuing a warning about the health of the ocean.
"This is really frightening because these animals are sentinels of ocean health," the Baltimore Sun quotes Barco as saying. "Strandings have been much more common in the past few decades, and we think it's an indication of the health of our ecosystem."
____________________
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Virginia has had 100 dolphin carcasses on its shores this year. Twenty-five dead or dying bottlenose dolphins have washed up on New Jersey shores since July 9, while Maryland and Delaware have seen several dead dolphins on its shores this summer. And in July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries declared an Unusual Mortality Event for bottlenose dolphins in Florida's Indian River Lagoon, where 50 dead dolphins have been found, a number three times the historical average.
"It is alarming since it's much higher than normal and in such a short amount of time," the Baltimore Sun quotes Jennifer Dittmar, the stranding coordinator for the National Aquarium in Baltimore as saying. "As far as an overall effect it's having on the population, it's hard to tell right now."
Scientists aren't sure what's causing the deaths at this point, though Susan Barco, research coordinator for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, said the strandings are "eerily familiar" to mass die-off of dolphins in 1987 when the measles-like morbillivirus brought 750 dolphin carcases to shores between New Jersey and Florida.
One expert says the die-off may be issuing a warning about the health of the ocean.
"This is really frightening because these animals are sentinels of ocean health," the Baltimore Sun quotes Barco as saying. "Strandings have been much more common in the past few decades, and we think it's an indication of the health of our ecosystem."
____________________
Virginia has had 100 dolphin carcasses on its shores this year. Twenty-five dead or dying bottlenose dolphins have washed up on New Jersey shores since July 9, while Maryland and Delaware have seen several dead dolphins on its shores this summer. And in July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries declared an Unusual Mortality Event for bottlenose dolphins in Florida's Indian River Lagoon, where 50 dead dolphins have been found, a number three times the historical average.
"It is alarming since it's much higher than normal and in such a short amount of time," the Baltimore Sun quotes Jennifer Dittmar, the stranding coordinator for the National Aquarium in Baltimore as saying. "As far as an overall effect it's having on the population, it's hard to tell right now."
Scientists aren't sure what's causing the deaths at this point, though Susan Barco, research coordinator for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, said the strandings are "eerily familiar" to mass die-off of dolphins in 1987 when the measles-like morbillivirus brought 750 dolphin carcases to shores between New Jersey and Florida.
One expert says the die-off may be issuing a warning about the health of the ocean.
"This is really frightening because these animals are sentinels of ocean health," the Baltimore Sun quotes Barco as saying. "Strandings have been much more common in the past few decades, and we think it's an indication of the health of our ecosystem."
____________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.